Banned Books Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September since 1982, Banned Books Week not only encourages readers to examine challenged literary works, but also promotes intellectual freedom in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Its goal is to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.

"Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met: first, that all individuals have the right to hold any belief on any subject and to convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate, and second, that society makes an equal commitment to the right of unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used, the content of work, and the viewpoints of both the author and the receiver of information." Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition. Join Alameda County Library in celebrating this important event, we invite you to challenge yourself, visit your local library and check out a banned book!

Alameda County Library is proud to serve over 500,000 residents with 10 Library locations, 24/7 Web Library and Bookmobile service. The Library circulates over 6.5 million items annually with over 2.4 million virtual visits to the Library website each year. To learn more about Alameda County Library, visit our website at www.aclibrary.org.